It was a mildly frigid Friday night in January when I decided to attend an indie Hip-Hop event in North Texas. I was among a diverse set of patrons; some came to support local artists, others came for the drink specials and a good night out, and a few attendants underdressed for a cool January evening may have come for different purposes altogether. But unlike others that had waited in line with me, I did not come to drink, nor dance. I came for one particular reason: Bruce Parker.
Tevin Rogers, better known by his stage name Bruce Parker, performed later that evening along with the Channel X collective. I had been anxious to see Parker take command of the stage. Just weeks prior to the performance, I was handed a pressed copy of his demo, which stayed in heavy rotation of my vehicle’s sound system until well after that show. There was just so much that drew me into his music; that creative, rhythmic flow, the multi-syllabic lyricism and, Bruce Parker’s ability to get his listeners in tune with the vibe that is set within each track. All of these qualities were present during his performance as well. But it didn’t stop there – Parker’s stage presence, the engagement with the audience, shifting in and out of various spots on stage while performing alongside the Channel X posse; all this observable skill hinted that Bruce Parker was far beyond your average local rapper.
More than fifteen months have passed since that mildly frigid January performance and my ability to recount the event reveals how captivating Bruce Parker’s set truly was. During the elapsed time Parker has been networking and strategizing, working hard on perfecting his craft. He has just released a new single titled Blindside, and will deliver a debut performance of the song at the Crown & Harp in Dallas on June 6th. In between his studio sessions and meetings with promoters and event coordinators, I had the opportunity catch up with the promising Parker for a brief Q and A.
Fresh Drops 